When you meet with a friend or a loved one, it is nice to first ask how things are going: “How are you?” But sometimes it is necessary to start differently. If something bad has happened in your relationship, it is better to talk about that problem and solve it first. This also applies to our praying. Sometimes it is necessary to start our prayers by talking about what went wrong. Look at Psalm 51:1–19. David did not speak to God openly about what he had done after his sin with Bathsheba. But now that he prays again, he starts by addressing what was wrong. While in other psalms there is often a song of praise or thanksgiving at the beginning, here David first comes to acknowledge his mistakes and ask for forgiveness. While Jesus teaches us in the Lord’s Prayer to start by worshipping God and pray for forgiveness later, it is sometimes necessary to start with the request for forgiveness. That is what we learn from Psalm 51:1–19.